Getting Started Homeschooling a Preschooler: Best Ways to Include Music Education in Your Homeschool Preschool (E22)

Homeschooling a preschooler is an exciting journey filled with countless opportunities to ignite your child’s passion for learning. Among the many subjects to explore, music education stands out as a particularly enriching and enjoyable experience. Music can foster creativity, enhance cognitive development, and build foundational skills that will benefit your child for years to come. Here’s a comprehensive guide to incorporating music education in your homeschool preschool curriculum.

Why Include Music Education for Your Preschooler?

Before diving into the how, let’s explore the why. Music education offers numerous benefits, particularly for young children:

1. Cognitive Development: Learning music helps develop the brain areas involved in language and reasoning. It improves memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.
2. Emotional Expression: Music allows children to express themselves creatively and emotionally. It can help them manage their emotions and develop empathy.
3. Motor Skills: Playing instruments and dancing to music enhances fine and gross motor skills.
4. Cultural Awareness: Music introduces children to various cultures and traditions, fostering a sense of global awareness and appreciation.

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Tip #1: Create a Musical Environment at Home

A musical environment is key to nurturing your child’s interest in music. Here are some practical steps to create a music-friendly home:

1. Daily Listening: Integrate music into your daily routine. Play different genres of music throughout the day—classical in the morning, folk in the afternoon, and lullabies before bed.
2. Sing Together: Singing with your child is one of the simplest and most effective ways to engage them with music. Nursery rhymes, simple songs, and even making up your own tunes can be a fun activity.
3. Dance and Movement: Encourage your child to move to the music. Dancing improves coordination and rhythm. You can have spontaneous dance parties or follow along with music and movement videos.

Tip #2: Introduce Musical Concepts

While it might seem early to teach formal music theory, preschool is a perfect time to introduce basic musical concepts in a playful and engaging way.

1. Rhythm and Beat: Clap along to the beat of songs, use percussion instruments, or even tap on household items. This helps children feel and understand the concept of rhythm and begin to develop a steady beat.
2. Pitch and Melody: Use simple songs to demonstrate high and low pitches. You can use your voice or instruments like xylophones or a piano keyboards to show it visually.
3. Dynamics and Tempo: Teach the concepts of loud and soft (dynamics) and fast and slow (tempo) through interactive games. For example, play “freeze dance” where your child has to freeze when the music stops or changes.

Tip #3: Hands-On Musical Activities

Practical, hands-on activities make learning music fun and memorable for preschoolers.

1. Instrument Exploration: Provide a variety of child-friendly instruments such as tambourines, maracas, and small keyboards. Let your child explore and discover the different sounds they can make.
2. DIY Instruments: Create simple instruments at home. Shakers can be made from plastic bottles and rice, drums from pots and pans, and guitars from rubber bands and boxes. See some specific ideas and tutorials at https://musicinourhomeschool.com/homemadeinstruments.
3. Fingerplays: These are hand movements coordinated with a song, rhyme, or short story. They’re very fun and help develop fine motor skills among other things.

Tip #4: Incorporate Music into Other Subjects

Music education doesn’t have to be isolated; it can be integrated into other areas of your homeschool curriculum.

1. Math and Music: Use rhythm and patterns to teach basic math concepts. Counting beats, understanding sequences, and recognizing patterns in music can reinforce math skills. Help preschoolers see the patterns of black and white keys on the piano.
2. Language Arts and Music: Singing songs can enhance language development. Introduce songs that tell stories, play with rhymes, and explore different sounds and words.
3. Science and Music: Explore the science of sound through simple experiments. Discuss how sound travels, the difference between high and low sounds, and even how different materials produce different sounds. Try out different objects inside containers to see how they sound different when shaked.

Tip #5: Utilize Online Resources

In today’s digital age, there are numerous online resources to enhance your music education program.

1. KinderBach: An amazing program created by music educator Karri Gregor specifically for children ages 2-7. It teaches them the basics of piano and music theory with fun characters and easy-to-understand techniques.
2. 10 Songs All Preschoolers Should Know: Here are 10 songs I think all young children should know.
3. A Folk Song a Week: After learning all the songs from the previous course, head over to the 36 songs you’ll learn here.

Tip #6: Encourage a Lifelong Love of Music

Your ultimate goal is to foster a lifelong love of music in your child. Here are some tips to encourage this passion:

1. Be Enthusiastic: Your attitude towards music greatly influences your child. Show enthusiasm and joy when engaging in musical activities.
2. Be Patient: Every child is different. Some may show immediate interest in music, while others might take time. Be patient and keep exposing them to different musical experiences.
3. Make it Fun: Keep the activities light-hearted and enjoyable. The goal is to make music a positive and enjoyable part of your child’s life.

Resources and Tools for Parents

To support your music education efforts, here are some recommended resources and tools:

1. Books: “The Story of the Orchestra” by Robert Levine and “Music Is…” by Brandon Stosuy are excellent books to introduce music concepts to young children. See more great books for preschoolers here.
2. Instruments: Invest in quality, child-friendly instruments. Brands like Melissa & Doug offer a range of musical instruments designed for young children.
3. Online Communities: Join online homeschooling communities where you can share ideas, resources, and experiences related to music education. My favorite, of course, is the Music in Our Homeschool Plus Premium membership!

Conclusion for Music Education in Your Homeschool Preschool

Incorporating music education into your homeschool curriculum for your preschooler can be a richly rewarding experience. It nurtures creativity, enhances cognitive and emotional development, and builds a foundation for lifelong learning. By creating a musical environment, introducing basic concepts, engaging in hands-on activities, integrating music with other subjects, utilizing online resources, and encouraging a love for music, you can provide a well-rounded and enjoyable music education for your child. Start your musical journey today and watch your preschooler’s love for music blossom.

See the YouTube Video “Getting Started Homeschooling a Preschooler: Best Ways to Include Music Education in Your Homeschool Preschool” here:

Listen to the Podcast Episode about “Getting Started Homeschooling a Preschooler: Best Ways to Include Music Education in Your Homeschool Preschool” here:

Listen here or subscribe and follow The Music in Our Homeschool Podcast through your favorite podcast app!

Read the Podcast Transcript here.

Related Posts:

• Piano for Preschoolers with KinderBach
• Why and How to do “Music and Movement” With Your Preschoolers
• 5 More Ways to do Preschool Music at Home
• 10 Songs All Preschoolers Should Know